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The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMERS PAPER 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homed 
Established ISSO 
Published weekly by the Rnral Piiblistaine Company. 333 We«t 30th Street, New fork 
Herbert W. Collingwood, President anti Editor. 
Jons’ J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. F. Dillon, Secretary. Mrs. K. T. Hoyle. Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION : ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union. $2.04. equal to 8s. 6d. t or 
marks, or 10*4 francs. Keinit in money order, express 
order,'personal check or bank draft. 
Entered at New York Post Office as Second Class Matter. 
Advertising rates, tl.00 per agate line—7 words. References required for 
advertisers unknown to us ; and cash must accompany transient orders. 
“A SQUARE DEAL” 
We believe that every advertisement in this paper Is backed by a respon¬ 
sible person. We use every possible precaution and admit the advertising of 
reliable houses only. But to make doubly sure, we will make good any loss 
to paid subscribers sustained by trusting any deliberate swindler, irrespon¬ 
sible advertisers or misleading advertisements in our columns, and any 
such swindler will be publicly exposed. We are also often called upon 
to adjust differences or mistakes between our subscribers and honest, 
responsible bouses, whether advertisers or not. We willingly use our good 
offices to this end, but such cases should not be confused'with dishonest 
transactions. We protect subscribers against rogues, but we will not be 
responsible for the debts of honest bankrupts sanctioned bv the courts. 
Notice of the complaint must be sent to us within one month of the time of 
the transaction, and to identify it. you should mention The Rural New- 
Yorker when writing the advertiser. 
I N writing about, the Clark method of seeding grass 
recently we did not make the fertilizing problem 
clear. We stated that Mr. Clark used a mixture 
containing one-third each nitrate of soda, ground 
bone meal and muriate of potash. This would 
answer for a Spring application, but for a Fall 
dressing at time of seeding the following mixture 
would be better: 1,000 lbs. of lime, 800 lbs. of potash 
and 200 lbs. of nitrate. It is never desirable to use 
large quantities of nitrate in late Summer or Fall. 
That would start too heavy or rank a growth of 
grass or grain, and result in more or less winter- 
killing. There would also he considerable loss from 
leaching with this heavy application of soluble nitro¬ 
gen. In the Spring the heavier use of nitrate might 
be justified, since a quick growth is then desired. 
Aside from this misunderstanding about fertilizers, 
the article is right. 
* 
E have many letters from readers who say 
they Intend seeding JIubam clover now or a 
little later with rye or wheat. That will be well 
enough if they want to try an experiment, but we 
would not do it. No one knows yet whether the 
Ilubam will live over Winter in grain. A few plants 
that survive have been reported, but we doubt if 
this clover is suitable for Fall seeding. Red and 
Alsike clover, of course, will live over, though most 
of us prefer to seed them in Spring. The Hubam 
is of an entirely different nature, and we would not 
take a chance with this high-priced seed. Far better 
wait until next Spring before seeding—unless you 
are perfectly willing to try an experiment and will 
make no complaint if the clover fails. 
* 
N every agricultural organization there is likely 
to develop a spirit and a man—both dangerous 
to the cause. The spirit is that of bigotry and intol¬ 
erance. Honest criticism and reasonable difference 
of opinion is always useful in such an organization. 
In many cases it is the only thing which will prevent 
tlie organization from passing into the control of a 
“ring” or monopoly. The tendency in most cases is 
for a few strong men to grasp the reins of power 
and dominate the organization unless there be fair 
criticism and open discussion. The evil spirit which 
we refer to is that feeling which prevents a man 
from separating reasonable criticism from rebellion. 
It often happens that some men will offer suggestions 
that are true and useful. They may be based on 
personal experience, or may be the outcome of long 
and careful study, and therefore wise and true. 
Yet if they are a little in advance of popular thought 
or a little opposed to popular belief the man who 
advances them may be torn down and branded as 
a traitor, or worse. It seems strange to us that, 
many otherwise intelligent men will permit them¬ 
selves to be prejudiced in such cases. They ought 
to be able to see that such narrow thinking only 
puts them in the power of designing men who make 
use of such stubborn prejudice to spread a propa¬ 
ganda in their own interests. This failure to admit 
and accept fair criticism has ruined many a hopeful 
farm organization. Then there is a man in most 
organizations who does great damage by refusing 
to submit to fair discipline. When men come to¬ 
gether for mutual aid and united work there must 
be some definite plan and program. An army, on 
the eve of battle, must obey its officers—whether the 
men think the operations wise or not. If every sol¬ 
dier undertook to fight as lie pleased, without re¬ 
straint or discipline, the army would be whipped 
before it started to march. It is just so with a farm 
organization. If the majority of its members agree 
to a certain policy it is the business of the minority 
to drop criticisms and quarrels and get in behind the 
The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
adopted policy and push it through. Tf yon belong 
to an organization, belong to it and give it full 
support 
❖ 
T HE teachers of “home economics” are doing 
great work among country women. Many farm¬ 
ers’ wives and daughters have learned to make 
“dress forms” which enable them to make well- 
fitting gowns. The following report from) New 
Hampshire indicates a new outlet for such knowl¬ 
edge : 
One of the. several thousand women in the State who 
have been making “Betties” was told the other day by 
her husband that he needed a new cork leg and didn’t 
want to take the time to lie fitted. Accordingly she took 
a tight-fitting stocking and' made a form, using the paper 
strips. When the job was finished, she took a razor 
iilr.de in the prescribed manner—and her husband could 
go on haying. 
We know a man who claims that the general use 
of safety razors has bad much to do with the farm¬ 
ers’ improved social condition. Surely this man with 
the cork leg has no apparent right to “kick” at the 
instruction in dress forms. 
O UR sympathies go out to Mr. Perry of Con¬ 
necticut, whose story is tokl on the next page. 
ITe very properly whipped those little thieves. Noth¬ 
ing else would have had the slightest effect upon 
them. Yet he is fined .$25 and costs for trying to 
defend his property. We have a large family of 
boys at borne, and if they ever steal farm produce 
and the owner gets near enough to hit them with a 
stick while they are stealing Ihe last tiling we should 
think of would be to sue him for damages! Next 
week we have a good story of what happened to an 
old soldier who tried to defend liis melons with a 
shotgun! 
C ONGRESS is having a great struggle over the 
question of taxation. The public is not well 
informed, but the truth is that there is serious dan¬ 
ger of a split in the Republican party over the 
present bill. The tariff bill seems likely to go 
through with few changes, but the taxation question 
has started a fight. Prohibition has wiped out most, 
of the revenue from liquors. The new tariff law 
will give some new income, but most of our public 
funds must be derived from income taxes. A sales 
tax on all gross sales was proposed, but this seems 
to have been abandoned. Tt Avas generally opposed 
by farmers on the theory that the tax would be 
added to the price and thus pushed along to.the 
consumer. On the other hand, this tax would have 
been one of the easiest to collect and the fairest to 
all who do business. The struggle in Congress is 
between two distinct groups. One is working to 
reduce the direct taxes on large estates and large 
incomes by removing the excess profits tax and 
reducing the surtaxes. The argument for this is 
that lowering the taxes of large corporations and 
private individuals would encourage new and larger 
investments in business and start industries now 
standing idle. As it is. capital is being withdrawn 
from business and invested in exempt or now-tax¬ 
paying securities. There are now nearly 20 billions 
of these securities which do not. share in the tax 
burdens. The other group, which contains the f inn 
representatives in Congress, oppose such tax reduc¬ 
tion. These men claim that the rich and prosperous 
are best able to pay taxes, and if any reductions are 
made they must bo on those items which affect all 
the people. The Republican party in its platform 
promised to repeal the excess profits lax and make 
oilier similar changes in the law. Tt now looks as 
if this would be done and a cut of half a million 
made in Government expenses. The people feel that 
they are 'being taxed to deatli and there must be 
some relief. Every one of us has been forced to 
economize in private life, and we must force our 
Congressmen to cut down public expense. 
* 
T HROUGHOUT Central New York this year there 
seems to be a renewed interest in caring for 
“fresh air” children. These little ones come from 
the city—usually the tenement districts—and are 
cared for by farmers, in this way enjoying a short 
vacation in the country. Many of these children 
never saw the country before. We have seen a note 
from one of them in which lie said: “We have big 
times. We eat green apples, and then take castor 
oil!” It is a kindly charity, and the farmers who 
make it possible for these children to get a little 
glimpse of hill and stream do more than they think 
for humanity. And it is not a charity which clothes 
one in velvet by any means. For these children, or 
some of them, have more than their share of the 
lawlessness of youth, and the mischief they get into, 
if not restrained, will shake up any country com¬ 
August 20, 1921 
munity. We hear of a case where two bachelors 
applied for four of these children! There will be a 
merry life in that country home. Those of us who 
have large families of lusty youngsters know what 
will happen. 
I write the following complaint against automobile 
thieves to make such use of as you see fit. Yesterday 
three cars. Nos. 20,464, 211.251 and 209,386, parked 
beside orchard. The people came into m.v apple orchard 
and took apples by bagful, and blackberries from other 
fields. I asked them to pay for same or remove them 
from their car, but they refused, saying I could not 
prove they took the fruit from my place, since I had 
not seen them picking it. Some members of the party 
had admitted that the blackberries were from my place 
and another member that the apples eame from up the 
hill above where the cars were parked. As my orchard 
was the only one here, there was no other possibility 
but that the apples came from my orchard. The variety 
was the kind I have. Moreover, I did see a man loading 
a bag into the car, and later I found apples scattered 
by the wall which divided the orchard from the road. 
Trespass signs were posted along my border. They got 
away with their steal. When I warned them to keep 
off my land a man threatened that I could not keep him 
off my land, that he would be around in rabbit time 
hunting rabbits, and that I could not prevent him from 
trespassing all he liked. My hired man says that a 
part of the same crowd were in my old orchard on back 
road a week ago Sunday, and one man went beyond the 
stealing of fruit. He stole a new galvanized water pail 
from my laborer. amy i. Butterfield. 
Westchester Co., N. Y. 
M AKE a record of these numbers. These thieves 
were caught right in the act. but because they 
were dealing with a woman they bluffed out of it. 
In such a case the remedy we have suggested would 
have worked. Sound the call and get half a dozen 
husky farmers together. Let them give these auto 
skunks the form of punishment they can feel. In 
Massachusetts the license would be taken away 
from this crowd. As for coming around in hunting 
time, we advise this lady to post her farm legally, 
then watch for the vandals. Try to organize the 
farmers nearby fo come on call and give those fel¬ 
lows what they deserve. Hold up their cars until 
the constable or deputy sheriff can get on deck; or, 
better still, let some good-sized neighbor arrest them. 
* 
T HERE seems sure to be a revision of parcel-post 
rates. We think the weight will be reduced on 
some classes and the rates increased in others. That 
seems necessary in order to make Ihe system self- 
sustaining. People of the Eastern States are not 
using parcel post as is done in the sections west and 
south of Chicago. In many cases large shipments of 
hay are made by parcel post. At one place all the 
bricks needed for making a good-sized house were 
sent by mail, with cheaper delivery than would have 
been the case with either express or freight. Chil¬ 
dren have been tagged and stamped and sent safely 
by mail. Eastern people have never made full use 
of this mailing privilege. 8o many big, bulky pack¬ 
ages are being sent over Western routes that the 
cost exceeds the income. In the present demand for 
economy this will be one of the items for increased 
income. There is a movement on foot to increase 
letter postage to three* cents, but it does not seem 
likely to go through. 
Brevities 
The face of land will wear a vacant stare if through 
the Autumn months you leave it bare. 
The drop in the cotton crop will mean about half a 
million tons less of cottonseed meal this year. 
“Thief-proof” boxes are the latest packages for ship¬ 
ping apples. They are firmly bound with wire. 
In many sections corn is so far advanced that it must 
go into the silo at least two weeks earlier than usual. 
Full many a Leghorn has stood before the farmhouse 
door and cackled so well that she scared the wolf away. 
Will those of our readers who have used mechanical 
fruit pickers tell us what they are and how they oper¬ 
ate? 
Some counties brag of their increase in population or 
wealth, but Faulk County, S. D., claims attention be¬ 
cause II septic tanks were installed this season. 
You may put lime on the soil to increase the produc¬ 
tion of clover, and then put lime on the green clover 
hay to dry it out in the mow. 
Several persons are reported as cultivating elder¬ 
berries with some success. There is a demand in some 
markets for these berries, which are used for jelly, jam 
and pie. 
We are having a few cider troubles reported. In 
some cases the owners evidently tried to make a strong 
“home brew. The result is that they have ruined the 
cider for either drinking or for vinegar. 
Here is the way they figure in Kansas. Gophers will 
destroy $2.50 worth of Alfalfa on one acre in a season. 
A bullsnake will consume four gophers and five rats in 
a month. He will keep six acres clear. Therefore one 
bullsnake earns $15 for the farmer. 
